VIM on OpenVMS Information Page

What is Vim?

VIM (Vi IMproved) is a
vi-compatible
text editor that runs on nearly every operating system known to
humanity. Now use Vim on OpenVMS too, in character, X/Motif or GTK environment.
It is fully featured and absolutely compatible with Vim on other
operating systems as Unix, OS/2, BeOS or Windows.

Current Version Information

Open VMS Vim Binaries

These links provide you with binaries for Vim text editor for OpenVMS operating system on AXP(Alpha), VAX and IA64(Itanium). All binaries were compiled using all the default settings. Please, check the comments for enabled GUI mode or terminal only mode executables.

Known problems:

- There is no port for GTK2 on OpenVMS and from Vim 7.3 GTK is not supported - it means there are no GTK executables from 7.3.
- on IA64 MMK needs to be used to build VIM

Full list of VMS related issues can be found in the polarhome's ticketing system:
vim_vmsPlease, feel free to open a new ticket/issue, if needed.

NOTE:
For compatibility reasons executables have been built on lowest available OpenVMS version.
Currently 8.3 for IA64, v7.3 for AXP and v7.3 for VAX environment.
GTK version for AXP requires at least v7.3-2, for IA64 v8.2 and of course installed LIBGTK (if used with provided LIBGTK).

Environment

You should define only one important logical for proper response of help command, syntax files and menus:
$VIM
Please, put this line to your SYS$LOGIN:LOGIN.COM or system administartors could include into SYLOGIN.COM

$ define VIM <full path to VIM directory>

NOTE: actually logical $VIMRUNTIME is used for syntax, help and other runtime resources. If this logical does not exist Vim defines it in the process job table during first run. If user does not have permissions or has quota limitations that pervent creating this logical by Vim executable - system adminstrators should define it globally. $VIMRUNTIME logical should point to runtime resources path - usually where $VIM points.

System menu file should be (actually just in GUI mode): "$VIM:menu.vim" or defined by command source <path>menu.vim in .gvimrc
Exemple part of LOGIN.COM vim related lines:

If you are VIM (or any open source project) developer on OpenVMS without develpment environment,
please apply for account at
root(at)polarhome.com.
Please, note that "simple" polarhome accounts might not have enough high quota for advanced development.

What to download?

Complete, deployment ready
packages - assumes that you have X/Motif packages installed and it
will provide most common features. Easy installation. Recommended for
most users, specially for beginners.

Executables
- builds for terminal only, GUI/Motif and GUI/GTK for IA64, Alpha and VAX.
Recommended for users that do not need GUI or do not have Motif or GTK libraries installed.
Who choose some of executables packages it is recommended to take
patched runtime files as well to achieve the full power of Vim.

Runtime files
-
syntax files and other files that gives Vim the real confortable work
environment.
You need this package if you choose to combine yourself
executable+runtime packages.

Help files and documentation -
HTML version of help files and user manual that comes with runtime
package.

Optional, support packages
- GNU tools are optional, GTK library is needed for GUI/GTK build
(and during runtime) if you do not have GTK installed on your box.

Original VIM distribution
packages - these files are just for reference and it is
recommended to use recent, patched, error corrected, CVS versions instead.

Source code - source code used to build recent OpenVMS executables.

Anonymous FTP

Bug report and fixes

You can send your bug
rapport to vim-vms-bugs(at)polarhome.com
or to discussion list vim-vms(at)polarhome.com
(if you are subscribed).
Also bugs can be submitted directly to the polarhome's ticketing system.
Please, include among the
detailed description: VIM version (command :ver), VMS version and platform
(Alpha, VAX, etc). and if you have some compilation problems, please add
the compiler version as well.

Here is the list of Vim enthusiasts
who contributed in development, testing, bug rapport, suggestions,
fixes, solutions and documentation for OpenVMS version so far.

Sándor Kopányi

<sandor.kopanyi(at)mailbox.hu>

Henk Elbers

<henk(at)xs4all.nl>

Charles E. Campbell, Jr

<cec(at)gryphon.gsfc.nasa.gov>

Hal King

<hking(at)pstcc.cc.tn.us>

Jerome Lauret

<JLAURET(at)mail.chem.sunysb.edu>

David Elins

<delins(at)foliage.com>

László Taska

<laszlo.taska(at)essnet.se>

Tamás Kovács

<tamas.kovacs(at)scientificgames.hu>

Patrick Moreau

<pmoreau(at)cena.dgac.fr>

Stephen P. Wall

<hitched97(at)velnet.com>

Zoltán Árpádffy

<arpadffy(at)polarhome.com>

Jan Kluka

<Jan.Kluka(at)st.fmph.uniba.sk>

John W. Hamill

<jhamill3(at)ford.com>

Coen Engelbarts

e-mail not shown

Tomás Stehlík

<tstehlik(at)pikeelectronic.com>

Samuel Ferencik

<sferencik(at)gmail.com>

... and of course Bram
Moolenaar
<Bram(at)moolenaar.net> who comitted everything to the new release.

Developers, BETA testers corner

If you're already working on some correction/addon, please send some announce to vim-vms(at)polarhome.com
list, to minimise task overlaps.